{"id":126534,"date":"2025-03-02T07:15:56","date_gmt":"2025-03-02T12:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=126534"},"modified":"2025-03-02T07:15:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T12:15:56","slug":"stephen-curry-dunks-for-the-last-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/02\/stephen-curry-dunks-for-the-last-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Curry Dunks For The Last Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/02\/joel-embiid-retirement\/\" target=\"_self\">Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/curryst01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stephen Curry<\/a> shocked everyone. Instead of a routine layup, he soared for a rare one-handed dunk. The Wells Fargo Center crowd erupted. This marked Stephen Curry&#8217;s 27th career regular-season dunk, his first since 2019. But Curry quickly made a surprising announcement after the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/05\/golden-state-warriors-have-discussed-draymond-green-trade\/\" target=\"_self\">Warriors<\/a>\u2019 <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/warriors\/news\/gameday-recap-20250301\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">126-119<\/a> loss. <em>&#8220;<\/em>That will probably be my last dunk,&#8221; Curry <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.co.uk\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/44076264\/warriors-steph-curry-notches-1st-slam-2019-says-my-last-dunk\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">said<\/a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m calling it right now. That was the last one you&#8217;re going to see&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Steph Curry gets up for the dunk!\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q1ql-1HbKJE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Stephen Curry Dunks For The Last Time<\/h2>\n<p>At 36 years old, Curry has never been known for his dunks. His last one came on February 21, 2019, off a <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duranke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Durant<\/a> pass. This time, he credited Warriors assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse for inspiring the moment. <em>&#8220;<\/em>Stackhouse said this morning he wanted to see me dunk. That hasn\u2019t happened in years, and tonight it did. Hilarious,&#8221; Curry <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.co.uk\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/44076264\/warriors-steph-curry-notches-1st-slam-2019-says-my-last-dunk\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>A Sign of His Renewed Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Stephen Curry\u2019s dunk wasn\u2019t just a fun highlight. It reflected how good his body feels after battling knee pain all season. He admitted he couldn&#8217;t resist the fast-break opportunity. &#8220;It took everything out of me to get up there,&#8221; Curry <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.co.uk\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/44076264\/warriors-steph-curry-notches-1st-slam-2019-says-my-last-dunk\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">joked<\/a>. &#8220;For sure, I will only lay the ball up now.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>His decision to retire from dunking symbolizes the end of a rare novelty for fans. Curry&#8217;s game has never relied on athleticism but rather dominate with his shooting and playmaking.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jimmy Butler\u2019s Arrival Changed Everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Stephen Curry\u2019s rare dunk capped off a remarkable turnaround for Golden State since acquiring <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/butleji01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jimmy Butler.<\/a> Before the trade, the Warriors sat at 25-25. Their mix of veterans and young talent wasn\u2019t enough to compete for a title.<\/p>\n<p>Something had to change.<\/p>\n<p>The Warriors seized the opportunity when Butler <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/01\/03\/jimmy-butler-makes-trade-request\/\" target=\"_self\">demanded<\/a> a trade from Miami. They <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/05\/jimmy-butler-gets-his-way-and-extension-with-trade-to-warriors\/\" target=\"_self\">landed<\/a> a top-tier player without sacrificing their young core of <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/podzibr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brandin Podziemski<\/a>, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/moodymo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moses Moody,<\/a> or <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kuminjo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jonathan Kuminga<\/a>. Instead, they moved <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wiggian01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Wiggins<\/a>, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/anderky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Anderson<\/a>, and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/schrode01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dennis Schr\u00f6der.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Immediate Impact on the Warriors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Butler debuted on February 8 against the Bulls, scoring 25 points in a dominant <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/game\/_\/gameId\/401705311\/warriors-bulls\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">132-111<\/a> victory. Since then, the Warriors have gone 7-2 with him on the team. Their record now stands at <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/standings\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">32-28<\/a>, and they are just half a game away from escaping the play-in tournament.<\/p>\n<p>The turnaround has been dramatic. Four of their seven wins came on a tough five-game road trip, including victories over Milwaukee and Houston. They also hold a <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/teams\/advanced?LastNGames=9&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=NET_RATING\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">13.3<\/a> net rating over their last nine games, the third-highest mark in the league during that span.<\/p>\n<p>Before the trade, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/06\/warriors-set-sign-quinten-post-jimmy-butler-trade\/\" target=\"_self\">Warriors<\/a> ranked 18th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. Since Butler arrived, they rank <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/teams\/advanced?LastNGames=9&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=OFF_RATING\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fourth<\/a> in offense and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/teams\/advanced?LastNGames=9&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=DEF_RATING\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">third<\/a> in defense.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How Butler Has Transformed the Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Butler\u2019s leadership has elevated Golden State\u2019s defense. His presence forces accountability and effort on that end of the floor. But the biggest surprise is his impact on the offense.<\/p>\n<p>As a point-forward, Butler has relieved Curry of primary playmaking duties. Teams now focus more on Butler, often assigning a bigger defender to him. This shift has allowed Curry to thrive.<\/p>\n<p>Since Butler\u2019s arrival, Curry is averaging <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/curryst01\/gamelog\/2025\/#999-1007-sum:pgl_basic\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">30.4<\/a> points per game, higher than his 24.1 average for the season. His efficiency has skyrocketed, shooting 51.4% from the field compared to his previous 44.7%. With Butler facilitating and drawing defensive attention, Curry gets better shots. This dynamic has turned the Warriors into a more dangerous offensive team.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Are the Warriors Contenders Again?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If Golden State sustains this level of play, they will be a nightmare matchup for any opponent. The Western Conference remains competitive, but the Warriors have momentum on their side.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Curry may never dunk again, but he doesn\u2019t need to. The real story is how Butler\u2019s arrival has given him and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/greendr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Draymond Green<\/a> another shot at a championship. For a team that looked stuck in mediocrity just a month ago, the Warriors suddenly have real aspirations of <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/24\/are-the-warriors-proving-to-be-contenders-with-butler\/\" target=\"_self\">raising another banner.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><label>Credit: <\/label>\u00a9 Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers, Stephen Curry shocked everyone. Instead of a routine layup, he soared for a rare one-handed dunk. The Wells Fargo Center crowd erupted. This marked Stephen Curry&#8217;s 27th career regular-season dunk, his first since 2019. But Curry quickly made a surprising announcement [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":126542,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,25],"tags":[49979,142,408,48],"class_list":["post-126534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-warriors","tag-2024-25-nba-season","tag-jimmy-butler","tag-nba-championship","tag-stephen-curry"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126534"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":126543,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126534\/revisions\/126543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126542"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}